Olga Radionova Fungi
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Abstract Sculptures
Wood, Textile
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1970s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Tapestries
Wool, Cord
Late 20th Century Colombian Organic Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Natural Fiber
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Tapestries
Metal
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Decorative Art
Cord, Plastic, Wood
Vintage 1960s American Folk Art Tapestries
Raffia, Driftwood
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Wool
Vintage 1970s Spanish Hollywood Regency Desk Sets
Wool, Cotton
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century Spanish Modern Tapestries
Wool, Cotton
Mid-20th Century Spanish Modern Tapestries
Wool, Cotton
20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Tapestries
Wool, Natural Fiber, Twine
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Abstract Sculptures
Wood
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Western European Rugs
Cotton
2010s Panamanian Post-Modern Decorative Art
Metal
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Western European Rugs
Wool
Late 20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Western European Rugs
Wool
A Close Look at Contemporary Art
Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.
Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.
The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.
Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.
Find a collection of Contemporary prints, photography, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right abstract-sculptures for You
If you’re thinking about decorating your space with abstract sculpture, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
You don’t have to look for a piece that demands attention. Find a work of abstract sculpture that speaks to you. As is the case with any abstract art, whether it’s sculpture, an abstract painting or a grouping of prints, you can select a work for your living room or dining room, for example, that will either casually fade into the background or serve as a focal point. When you’re thinking about how to arrange your furniture and decor, consider color, texture and what kind of energy you’d like a specific room or corner to evoke. Abstract sculpture can go a long way in elevating a home, and its history is interesting if you’re shopping for a new piece today.
As a pioneer in naturalistic forms and figures that vividly express emotion, Auguste Rodin is often called the father of modern sculpture. His work in the 19th and early 20th century broke with artistic conventions and inspired modernism, leading to a new period of avant-garde abstraction.
Among the first artists to push abstract sculpture into the mainstream were Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. They helped define the movement of Cubism, which focused on deconstructing the world abstractly.
Later in the 20th century, the artistic movements of Italian Futurism, Dadaism, Neo-Dadaism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism and minimalism all contributed to the advancement of new and more abstract sculpture designs. Italian Futurism, for example, celebrated movement, dynamics and technology in abstract sculpture. These movements passed down ideas that continue to inform abstract sculpture today.
Browse a range of modern abstract sculptures, postmodern abstract sculptures and other kinds of sculpture on 1stDibs.
Read More
100 Works That Remind Us Why Glass Can Be a Radical Art Form
A new show at Upstate New York’s Corning Museum of Glass shows off the best and brightest contemporary works of the last few years.
Proving It’s More Than Mansions, Palms and Beaches, a Storied Florida Playground Is Getting Serious about Art
The newly redesigned Norton Museum and other impressive exhibition spaces around Palm Beach are drawing art aficionados to the tony enclave year-round.